Alice J Wisler's How Sweet it Is ~ Reviewed

How Sweet It Is
By Alice J. Wisler
ISBN#978-0-7642-0478-4
314 Pages

Back Cover:

Deena Livingston leaves behind a broken romance and her chef job in Atlanta, to spend time at her grandfather's cabin in the mountains of North Carolina. But her grandfather has an odd request: he wants Deena to teach cooking classes to the ragtag group of middle-schoolers who attend the local afterschool program, The Center.

Reluctantly, Deena agrees, but how is she supposed to convince these kids that cooking at home is better than eating at McDonalds? And after all she went through in Atlanta, why is she attracted to Zack, the social worker at The Center? Can a Dr. Seuss-quoting plumber, a curly-haired basketball player and a group of middle-schoolers, change Deena's outlook on life?

REVIEW:

Deena Livingston leaves Atlanta, the only home she’s known, to move into her grandfather’s cabin in the North Carolina mountains. Deena wouldn’t even have considered moving, if her life in Atlanta hadn’t taken such an unexpected turn. It hurt too much to stay—too much had happened.

Her grandfather left her the cabin in the woods and a few surprises. Upon her arrival to Brayson, her aunt informs Deena that part of grandfather’s will states she has to teach at The Center for six months, doing the very thing she was good at -- cooking!! Deena was a bakery chef in Atlanta and hoped to start a catering business in this new town. Teaching wasn’t part of the gig. But no teaching, no cabin. Ok, she decides to do it—how bad could it be?

Deeana loved her grandpa and finds another surprise—a note from him to her. It read “It’s funny how humans are never quite content with what they have. The key to happiness lies in putting your whole hand into Gods!” She's glad she discovers the note, but what does it mean?

I really enjoyed Deena and how she tries to discover where she fits in this new community. Her grandfather was a hoot and loved her so, and she discovers that as she lives in his house and gets to know him better.

I loved how the author puts Deena into a classroom full of middle school students and she teaches them how to cook white sauce in the first class. How funny was that? It’s funny, real and gut-honest funny! I loved the fun and reading about what she liked about Atlanta.

As an extra bonus the author has included some recipes she talks about in the books. I can’t wait to try them and you’ll definitely want to try them and this book.

Reviewed by: Nora St. Laurent
Finding Hope Through Fiction